By Iftikhar Ahmad
London School of Islamics, Margery Park Road, London
According to the Runnymede Trust, education is the domain of institutionalized racism. Recent newspaper reports clearly indicate that black as well as Asian students are victims of discrimination in state schools. The minority children, especially the Muslims, are exposed to the scourge of racism, multiculturalism and bullying. They suffer academically, culturally and linguistically.
The Muslim community started setting up Muslim schools in the early ‘80s. The London School of Islamics was the first such school to be established in January 1981. Today there are 65 schools imparting education to approximately 5,000 Muslim students, majority of whom have no choice but to attend state schools. Only 3 schools have achieved Grant Maintained status. The needs and demands of the Muslim children can be met only through Muslim schools. His Royal Highness, Prince Charles, while visiting the first GM Muslim School in North London, said that its students would be the future ambassadors of Islam. But what about thousands of others who attend state schools, classified as, ‘Sink Schools’.
OFSTED blames the state school for the failure of the Muslim children. Its report clearly indicates that the religious schools are on top on the basis of examination results and discipline. There is a growing demand for such schools and the Church of England is going to double its schools in the next ten years. The Think Tanks of the Labour and the Tory parties recommended for the abolition of the LEAs and resultantly all state schools will be handed over to private companies, charities, religious groups and educational trusts. The time has come for the Muslim community to manage those state schools where Muslim students are in the majority. Such schools may be handed over to Islamic charities and trusts. The DFEE will be responsible for their funding, inspection and maintenance. The management will be in the hands of educated professional Muslims. The teaching of Arabic, Islamic Studies and Urdu by qualified Muslim teachers will help the students to develop an Islamic identity, which is crucial for mental, emotional and personality development.
Sir Trevor McDonald is a champion of introducing foreign modern languages, even at primary level. The Muslim community would like to see Arabic and Urdu to be introduced at nursery, primary and secondary school levels along with European languages. In this way, the Muslim students will have a choice to learn a foreign language according to their own choice. However, there are people like Mr. Graham Lane, chairman of Newham’s LEA, who is against religious schools, especially Muslim schools. Now the time has come for him and others to change their attitude towards those who would like to send their children to Muslim schools. There should be a choice in education. For the time being, a choice is denied to the Muslim community. In the late 80s and early 90s, when I floated the idea of Muslim community schools, I was declared as a ‘SCHOOL HIJAKER’ by the editor of the Newham Recorder in his editorial column. This clearly shows that the British media does not believe in choice and diversity in the field of education and has no respect for those who are different. According to the Muslim News, the Muslim schools, in spite of meager resources, have excelled with two schools achieving 100% A-C grades for five or more GCSE’s. They beat well-resourced state and independent schools in Birmingham and Hackney. Muslim schools are doing better because the majority of teachers on their rolls are Muslim. The students are not exposed to the pressures of racism, multiculturalism and bullying.